Loving Her Twice As Much
by irisbloom95
Summary: Kaiba's birthday? The perfect time to throw a party and get drunk. No mistakes, no regrets, no nothing. Or is it? What happens when Kaiba succumbs to the powers of love and alcohol?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: CONFESSION

Kaiba's head hurt and the music blaring around him and the constant chattering of the unknown people in his mansion made it worse.  
"Mokuba!" He shouted for his little brother but it was no use. His head spun from the countless "harmless" drinks he'd consumed and he cursed at himself for being so stupid.

He frowned as he spotted a familiar red, yellow, black haired kid pumping his fist to the music in the crowd. As usual, that familiar annoying face was surrounded by other, familiar annoying faces. Kaiba decided he had to avoid them at any cost…though…they might actually know where Mokuba was. That kid would be in for the biggest punishment of his lifetime.

Because of Mokuba, their mansion had turned into a wild party central with an unlimited supply of beer and other substances. Although how those substances or the beer was obtained, was beyond Kaiba's comprehension. At least for the moment.  
"That brat." Kaiba muttered as he tried to walk through the idiots who had crashed what was supposed to be a relatively small party. The alcohol was getting to him fast and he had to shut this party down before that happened or else the next morning, he'd wake up to a burnt down mansion or worse.

"Mokuba! Yugi, have you seen Mokuba?" Kaiba had finally managed to struggle his half-drunk ass over to the full drunk Yugi.

"Kaiba! Guys, look! It's Kaiba!" Yugi grinned at the taller boy and Kaiba looked down at him, unamused.

"Kaiba! Buddy! What an awesome party! I haven't had this fun…well in like forever!" Joey draped his arm over Kaiba's shoulders and Kaiba immediately gave him a death glare. Joey shrugged himself off and started making fun of Kaiba's face.

"Morons! I'm…asking you a qu-question! Where is Mokuba?!" Kaiba tried very hard not to start slurring his words.

"Sheesh Kaiba, are you drunk?!" Tea giggled hysterically and suddenly, the entire dweeb patrol joined in as they slapped each other on their backs. Kaiba glared at them, understanding that as usual, they were of no help.  
"Good for nothing losers." Kaiba walked away from their laughing fit, heading towards the stairs. He tried to get a better look over the hundred or so heads filling just his living room but nowhere could he find the raven haired boy. Giving up, Kaiba slugged his way up the stairs and to his bedroom.

When he got in and shut the door behind him, the noise from downstairs was drowned out and he took a relieved breath.

"Finally, some peace and quiet."

"Who's there?" Kaiba's eyes searched the dark room to find a silhouette sitting on his armchair.

"What do you mean who's there? This is my room. Who are you?" Kaiba slurred his words slightly and he squinted his eyes in the darkness to get a better look at the figure.

"Oh…" There was an odd familiarity to the feminine voice.

"Oh, what?! Get out of my room." Kaiba could feel the anger rising in him. It was one thing to gate crash his private party but this was out of bounds. This was his bedroom, his personal space.

"Kaiba…do you have some aspirin? My head's killing me." The figure slightly slumped over and for a moment Kaiba wondered if she'd passed out.

"No. Now get out." He could feel the control he had on himself beginning to fade as his movements became more sluggish. The buzz coming over him was nice but he hated the immobility that came with it.

"So-sorry. I…it's just my head hurts a lot. The music…just too loud." The girl shook her head and then sat up straight. "Guess I should've listened to Joey when he told me to take it easy."

"Joey…wait…" Kaiba racked his mind to place the voice with a face. Joey Wheeler…no…Wheeler…"Serenity Wheeler?" He asked, still unsure.

"Bingo! Good job, Kaiba! You get one point!" Serenity giggled and clapped her hands, irritating Kaiba even further.

"What are you talking about? How did you even get in here?" Kaiba could now see bits of her in the filtering moonlight from his window as he approached the armchair. She was just as he remembered.

When her eyes met his, he saw the deep, honey brown eyes sparkle at him. Her delicate face was framed with long, auburn hair, cascading down like waterfall. A sweet smile adorned her face.

Kaiba blushed as he realized he actually thought she looked cute and immediately shook his head to rid it of the ridiculous thought.

"Kaiba, why are you always so meeeaaan?" She drew out the word in a childish groan before tilting her head back and taking a swig from a bottle that Kaiba did not know she'd had.

"Didn't you just say your head's hurting? Then why are you drinking even more?" She took another swig before placing the bottle with a loud clink onto the coffee table in front of her and looking up. Kaiba was surprised as a sad, lonely smile appeared on her pink lips.

"It's funny, my dad always said drinking made the pain go away. But it's not. It's still there. My head still hurts, Kaiba." Kaiba stared at the drunk girl in front of him, the throbbing pain in his own head taking a backseat for the moment.

"You're dad's wrong." He concentrated his steely blue gaze on her as she continued to observe him with a silly look on her face.

"Correction. My dad WAS wrong. He's dead you know. It's been a year." Her expression darkened as she lowered her gaze to the floor and took another drink from her bottle. Kaiba, not knowing what else to do, tried to take the bottle away.

Serenity made a loud, annoyed sound, and took the bottle out of his reach.  
"NO! My bottle. Get your own!" Kaiba stood back again and decided to take a seat across from her. Several seconds of silence passed between them before Kaiba finally spoke.

"Sorry about your dad. Mokuba and I lost our parents when we were very young." He said, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.

"I know. I know all about you." She said it so casually but Kaiba opened his eyes to look right at her.

"Oh yeah? How so?" Kaiba rose a brow at her, his vision blurring slightly before going back to normal.

"Wikipedia." Serenity scoffed for a second at her own joke and Kaiba's expression and suddenly, they both started laughing. Kaiba couldn't believe his own ears, but yes, he really was laughing and that too, with a girl.

When they both finally calmed down, Serenity smiled at his flushed face. "I've never seen you laugh like that Kaiba, you should do it more. It'll make girls fall for you even harder." Kaiba's smile immediately faltered as he stared at Serenity, wide eyed.

Flustered, Serenity tried to cover her embarrassment. "I mean, well you're so handsome and well, I mean no-tha-that's not what I meant…" She trailed off, trying to recover.

"It's the alcohol. It's okay." Kaiba said and smirked at the troubled girl. Serenity looked at the bottle she'd placed on the table again.

"Yeah…maybe it is." Another cute smile spread across her face and Kaiba admired the way it lit up her face. "Say Kaiba, let's play a game."

"A game? You'll lose." Kaiba said confidently.

"Wait! You can't say that! You don't even know what I wanted to play!" Serenity exclaimed.

"You're not even half as good as your brother, and next to me, he's nothing. You have no hope of winning." Serenity frowned at his arrogant expression and somehow, Kaiba found the look extremely enticing.  
"I never said I wanted to play duel monsters." Serentiy pouted, folded her arms, and looked away from him. She looked positively like a stubborn child and Kaiba once again rose a brow at her while hiding a smirk under his hand that now covered the bottom half of his face.

"Duel monsters is the only game worth playing in my book. Oh and chess. Chess is good too." Serenity's expression changed as she looked at Kaiba straight in the eye.

"We'll play never have I ever. Here are the rules, every time one of us says something that they didn't do, the other players, only if they did it, need to take a drink. It's better with more people, but the two of us will have to do." Kaiba watched Serenity get up and walk over to his private bar and bring two glasses and a thick bottle of liquor over.

"You do know that's hard liquor right? And I never agreed to play." Kaiba had a feeling this wasn't a good idea. He didn't care but he was sure that Wheeler would not approve of his little sister in Kaiba's room, drinking with him.  
"Oh come on, don't be such a spoilsport! It'll be fun. This way we can get to know each other." She turned her puppy eyes on him as soon as she took a seat and with a long, silent glance at her, Kaiba shrugged. What the heck, if he got drunk enough, he could pass out easily.

"Alright, I'll start. Never have I ever bunked school." Neither of them took a sip and now it was Kaiba's turn.

"Never have I ever…lost a duel to Joey Wheeler." Serenity frowned at him but poured herself a glass and took a sip of the liquor. Her body shuddered at the harsh, bitter taste and she frowned further as Kaiba laughed. Indeed, this would be fun.

"My turn. Never have I ever lost a duel to Yugi." Kaiba knew he had that coming and so he shrugged and took a sip from his own glass. What surprised him was Serenity didn't.

"Why didn't you take a sip?"

"Simple, I've never lost to Yugi. And I did say never have I ever."

"What?!" Kaiba's brows furrowed for a second, not believing it.

"I can't lose to him if I never played, silly. You're turn." For a moment, Kaiba blinked at Serenity before giving her a lopsided smile and continuing.

"Right…never have I ever…" And so the game continued and Kaiba was shocked to see that Serenity was beating hi. Then again, she _was_ more innocent than him. He began to think if he should spice up the game.

"Never have I ever…kissed a guy." Serenity's eyes widened at the sudden change in topics but silently took a sip. Of course she'd kissed a guy. She'd kissed several, but nothing anything too serious. Kaiba tried to imagine the boy she may have kissed and he ended up with Tristan's face. It was no secret that the dweeb crushed on Wheeler's sister, not even to him.

"Never have I ever watched a…porno." Serenity smirked at Kaiba's shocked expression and she reveled in it. Kaiba had _not_ seen _that_ coming. Serenity watched as Kaiba contemplated the statement and finally raise the glass to his lips. Her eyes went wide with surprise as he took a large swig and she nodded in fake appraise.

"Ready? Never have I ever…fooled around with another guy." Kaiba waited. Serenity's face went red. Despite all she drank, her nerves were on edge with the question. A suffocated feeling overwhelmed her and she took the scarf wrapping her neck off and loosened the top two buttons of her shirt. Kaiba's gaze intensified as he watched Serenity. She looked nervous and toyed with the glass in her hand.

"I'm taking that as a no. A virgin then, huh?" Kaiba delighted in the expression Serenity made. He'd gotten her at her own game. It was hilarious as Kaiba laughed aloud. "Chill. I was just kidding. You don't have to answer." Serenity stared at him stone eyed but slowly tipped her glass back and drank the last of her liquor. Kaiba stopped laughing as he saw what she did.

This time, he tried to imagine sweet little Serenity being dirty…a kiss was chaste but the other things…he just couldn't imagine it, not even with Tristan.  
Serenity filled her glass halfway and drank that bit back too and was about to get more but Kaiba got to the bottle before she did. She was already swaying while sitting down, any more, and she'd probably puke all over the place. That wouldn't be pretty.

"You've had enough. It's time to end this game."

"But-"

"No. No more." Kaiba took the bottle and the glass away from her and downed the rest of his own and stood. He swayed himself a little as he walked the glasses and bottle back to the bar and turned to look at Serenity.

"I-I guess I'll be going then…" Serenity stood and dangerously swayed on the spot and almost fell but Kaiba caught her in time. He steadied her but didn't let go of her. She looked up at him and smiled sweetly.

"Thank you. See Kaiba…I always told Tea you were a sweet guy. She never believed me." Kaiba stared into the deep brown depths as he considered her words. All his life, he'd always been called ruthless and arrogant but never sweet…this was the first time a girl had ever said that about him.

"You talk to Tea about me?" Kaiba asked as he continued holding her up.

"Yeah…sometimes…it's normal to talk about your crush right?" Serenity was smiling at him stupidly and he wondered if she even understood what she'd said. Apparently she did because the next second, Serenity's eyes went wide and she tried to break free of Kaiba's grasp on her.

"I…oh crap…I said too much. I'll get going. For real this time." A flustered and drunk Serenity slowly started making her towards the door. It took a moment for Kaiba to realize that his arms were now empty and that warm feeling that had slowly built up inside him was rapidly fading. He grabbed Serenity and turned her around and she bumped into him, hard enough to topple the two over. She landed right on top of him.

They remained like that, neither of them making an effort to move or help the other. When Kaiba finally found his voice, he asked, "Serenity, you like me?" His voice was gruff as usual but softer somehow.

Serenity stared down at his blue orbs and tried not to breathe. This was a dream for her. Kaiba and her...was he really asking her?  
"Yes…I do." Kaiba had her pinned under him in seconds as he flipped her around on the carpet they lay. Now Serenity could see his silky brown bangs slightly covering his face as he leaned close to her, inches from her face.

"Do you like me?" She had to ask. The question was burning away at her and she needed an answer quickly. She held her breath as she looked into his eyes.

Kaiba could see her questioning gaze and he thought about her question. Before this night, he'd probably say no…but what about now? A simple, drunken conversation had exposed him to her more than he'd exposed himself to anyone under any condition. He'd done it not under the influence of alcohol but because somehow, this girl had found a way to be normal and comfortable with him.

"Well…you're pretty." He laughed in his drunken state at Serenity's frown.

"Be serious, please." She couldn't bear not knowing anymore. For two years, she hid her feelings. She secretly admired him as she joined Domino High. She held back her heartbreaks over and over again as she saw other girls approach him and even worse when he graduated this past year. She entered her senior year as he went onto his second year of college. Still, she hadn't forgotten about him. Due to her close friendship with Mokuba, she caught glimpses of him occasionally but those perfect cold, blue eyes never looked her way.

But now, they had. They had finally acknowledged her and she wouldn't let them look away without an answer.

Kaiba stopped chuckling and brought his hand up to cup her face. Her eyes grew wide as she felt the cool touch slide across her cheek and she thought she'd suffocate from not breathing. Just when she thought she wouldn't get an answer, his soft lips leaned in and pressed down on hers.

A moments shock later, Serenity started to kiss him back. The kiss grew into something beautiful and then something urgent. She was doing it. She was kissing Kaiba. So many fantasies and so many dreams, all suddenly coming true.

As the kiss drew to an end, Kaiba pulled away to see Serenity's eyes tearing up.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, confused.

"It just means that much to me…your kiss." Serenity whispered as she lay under him. It felt right somehow, just being here with him. She was glad she got drunk and ended up in his room while looking for a bathroom.

"Serenity…can I kiss you again?" Serenity nodded and this time, she claimed his lips, kissing him passionately. She could taste the liquor they'd shared on his lips and also the spicy mint flavor of peppermint. She inhaled his scent and it filled her being with a wonderful warmth.

Kaiba too didn't hold back. As soon as Serenity gave him permission, he knew he needed more and more. One kiss after another, their heat grew and before they knew it, the two of them were panting for breath, both their bodies aroused. He knew he needed more but for the first time in his life, Kaiba was afraid to ask. After all, this was not something Kaiba could just take.

"Serenity…" Kaiba started as he pulled away from Serenity. She pulled him back with her arms that had long ago wrapped around him lovingly. "Wait…Serenity I do like you…but…" He didn't know how to word it. The CEO of the biggest gaming company had no idea how to tell the girl he liked he wanted to do it with her. Great.

"Kaiba…take me to bed will you?" Kaiba stared at Serenity for a moment, astonished that she'd extend the invitation. Ever since Serenity could imagine, she'd wanted this. All she wanted was him. And now she had him. She would not let go. Not now. Not ever. She just hoped Kaiba felt the same way.

"Serenity, I promise, I won't hurt you." With those words, Kaiba climbed off of Serenity and took her in his arms bridal style before gently laying her on his king size bed.

"I know you won't Kaiba, I trust you." And with those words from Serenity, Kaiba sealed their fate.

Author's Note: Happy Birthday Seto, sorry this is late, but it's all for you and my wonderful readers. If you liked this, then please remember to review and follow for upcoming chapters. Thank you so much for your support, it is truly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: REVELATION

Kaiba:

Kaiba awoke the next morning to the sun shining through his bedroom drapes.

"Mmmm..." He rolled over in his bed and stretched, his eyes still shut. Flashes of the night before returned as he felt a soreness in his hips and back.

What had happened last night? His head hurt like crazy and it was hard to think. He saw glimpses of an out of control party, Yugi and the dweebs, but then things started getting blurry...

He came to his room and there was someone there. He tried to think and remembered beautiful auburn hair framing a face with honey brown eyes and the sweetest lips he'd ever kissed.

"Kissed!" His eyes flew open as every last detail came rushing back and an involuntary ache twitched in his boxers.

"Boxers... I'm wearing boxers... Where are my pants?" He slowly raised himself up and looked around the floor of his bedroom. Several items of clothing littered it, discarded carelessly during last night's activities. He looked at them closely and realized there was something wrong with this morning picture.

He was all alone.

"Serenity..." The name rolled off his tongue in an unsure whisper as he glanced around the room. No, she was gone. Doubt crossed his mind for a second as he wondered if he'd dreamt it just when his eyes focused on something bright red strewn across his armchair.

"Her scarf." He got out of bed, throwing the covers aside, and walked over to pick up the plush scarf in his hand.

Oddly, he held it up to his nose and smelled it and memories from last night flooded back.

"Mmm... It smells just like her." He looked at the scarf for a moment longer before folding it and placing it safely in a drawer before starting his usual morning ritual.

When he got down for breakfast he met the horror that was the mess from the party. He shook his head as he saw furniture out of place and several stains on his carpeting. Plastic wrappers and glasses were strewn about everywhere and when he got to the living room, there were several people still passed out. One of them happened to be Duke.

"Hey dork!" Kaiba knelt down and nudged him several times before Duke finally answered.

"Five more minutes, mom!" Duke rolled away from him and Kaiba frowned, grabbing him and rolling him back.

"Duke! Where are the other dweebs?" After pushing Duke several more times, Duke reluctantly opened his eyes.

"Kaiba... Damn it's you." His eyes closed for a second before flying open again as he groaned. "Damn it! I passed out? I was supposed to score with Wheeler's sister! Fuck!" Duke shielded his eyes with his hands as he rubbed at them and sat up.

Kaiba looked at Duke, an unfamiliar heat rising in him at his words.

"You mean Serenity?" There was venom in his voice and for a moment Duke stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at him oddly.

"Yeah...but she disappeared last night. Where are the others Kaiba?" Kaiba gazed at the boy for a moment longer, wanting to hit him but restrained himself as he answered.

"That's what I want to know. You dweebs have a serious clean up to get started with. You trashed my entire place last night." Kaiba stood up as Duke sat straighter and put his back against the wall and looked out at the mess.

"Wow, we did do a number, didn't we?" He grinned slyly at Kaiba and Kaiba gave him an annoyed look before leaving Duke and heading towards the kitchen.

He was surprised to find an upbeat Mokuba sitting at the counter in the kitchen and eating breakfast.

"Seto! You're up!" Mokuba smiled at his brother warmly as Kaiba gave him a death stare. When Kaiba didn't answer, Mokuba stopped smiling. "...what is it, Seto?"

"You know what it is Mokuba. Because of you, our mansion is a complete mess! Can you even imagine how bad the party got last night? We agreed, a small party and only a few of your close friends! You didn't even _know_ half the people at the party. Hold on, forgetting about knowing them, you weren't even at the party!" Kaiba shouted at his little brother who sat there comically, food still on his fork.

"Seto... I know it got a bit bad last night but think about it, everyone enjoyed it! I know you did too."

"Oh yeah? How?" Kaiba crossed his arms and looked down at Mokuba, waiting for an answer.

"This breakfast. I didn't make it. Seems like someone was nice enough to leave you a cooked breakfast before making their way home. Look, they even left you a cute little note." Mokuba smirked as he dangled a piece of paper in between his fingers.

Kaiba was too concerned with the fact that Serenity had made him breakfast to focus on the note itself. He didn't even comment that Mokuba was eating it.

Seeing his older brother's expression, Mokuba knew he had him in his grasp.

"You know Seto, this handwriting looks awfully similar to someone else's handwriting I know." This caught Kaiba's attention as his eyes focused on the note then on Mokuba. They stared each other down as worried thoughts flitted through Kaiba's mind.

"Mokuba I don't care about that. You made a mess of this place and you're-" Kaiba started, trying to divert the conversation but Mokuba interrupted.

"Seto, I believe this is Serenity's handwriting. Hmm, but I don't understand. Why is Serenity suddenly making you breakfast and leaving you such cute notes?" Kaiba's eyes went wide and Mokuba's head snapped back as he laughed at his distraught brother.

"Mokuba..." Kaiba had no idea what to reply to that. He cursed at himself for being so obvious and at Serenity for being so careless.

"It's okay Seto, I won't tell anyone." Mokuba made a point by placing his finger on his lips and making a shushing sound.

"Mokuba, it's not what you think." Kaiba tried to make it go away but the mischievous look in his brother's violet eyes said otherwise.

"You know Seto, I might have believed you, except there's one problem."

Kaiba looked at the younger one, confused. "And what is that?"

"Well you see, I happened to see a certain brown eyed beauty sneak out of your room this morning while everyone else was still passed out. She then came down here and started cooking. Cute isn't it? You're so lucky Seto." His brother ended, sounding sincere enough but Kaiba knew better.

"What do you want to keep shut Mokuba?" There was no negotiating with Mokuba about this, but he had to try. Mokuba's eyes lit up as he considered what he wanted in return for his silence.

"I want that new game I've been asking for, oh and no punishment for the party!" Kaiba glared at his little brother.

Honestly, how did his sweet younger brother turn into such a manipulative bastard? Of course he loved his brother to death but really, Kaiba sometimes wondered about Mokuba's mind and stability.

"Fine. But I'm serious, one peep out of you and it's off to boarding school in Alaska for you." Kaiba didn't even know if Alaska had any boarding schools but it would be a fit enough punishment for his younger brother.

"Now move. I want to eat my breakfast." Kaiba snagged the half eaten tray of food from a protesting Mokuba and started eating. He was surprised to learn the eggs were done just the way he liked them and the bacon was fried to the perfect crisp.

"Good in bed and a good cook." Kaiba smirked as he ate.

"You said something, Seto?" Mokuba said teasingly.

"Scram!" Kaiba threatened and with a laugh, Mokuba was gone.

Serenity:

Monday came too quickly and Serenity wondered if she'd catch a glimpse of Kaiba if she went to school. The college campus was connected to the high school building so once in a while, she would see Kaiba strolling across the open yard on his way to class.

As the thought came to mind, an ache started in her heart. Did she have the guts to face him after what happened? It was so sudden. She was still embarrassed about it and her heart beat fast.

When she awoke that morning next to him, she'd been scared out of her mind. Somehow, she managed to get dressed without waking him up and left his room to find the others passed out downstairs.

After braving it and making breakfast for him, she wrote him a note and left with the others who'd finally decided to wake up. She wanted to say bye to Mokuba but just like the night before, he was gone.

She still lay in bed, wrapped in her covers. When Joey came to call for her, she faked a stomach pain and stayed home. She still wasn't ready to face Kaiba.

Kaiba:

When Kaiba got to school, people he didn't know approached him and thanked him for the rad party. They stopped though when he glared at most of them and threatened to have them pay for the damage inflicted on his property.

His eyes wandered the halls as he walked from class to class between his breaks, hoping to catch the eye of a certain brunette, but to his dismay, she was nowhere to be found. He wanted to talk to her about their time spent together. After all, he didn't want to seem rude. He didn't want it to look like a one night stand to her.

He searched for her at lunch too but still no Serenity. He wondered if he should ask the dweebs but he didn't want them questioning him and so he refrained from doing so.

In the end, Kaiba did not get to see Serenity. That night Kaiba fell asleep, missing the feeling of having Serenity in his arms.

Serenity:

The next day, Serenity reluctantly went to school. She avoided Kaiba's frequented paths, praying not to bump into him. Inside, she was dying to see him, but she knew she couldn't meet his eyes if she did. Blushing as certain thoughts crossed her mind, she immediately shook her head and made her way to class.

Disaster struck after school though. Alone in the hallway, running a task for a teacher, Serenity saw the familiar boy approach her from the other end. Her heart beat uncontrollably and she tried to hide in a corner but it was no use. Kaiba had seen her.

"Serenity!" He called to her as she tried to disappear and hide her face behind the stack of papers she carried. "Why are you hiding?"

She looked past the papers and up into his perfect blue eyes and blushed furiously. Just three nights ago, she'd been looking at those same eyes as the two did the unthinkable.

"Serenity…?" Kaiba looked down at her with a concerned expression and Serenity felt like she would melt as his voice spoke her name.

"I…I'm not hiding." She managed to squeak out as she avoided his gaze.

"Oh? Okay, listen…I need to talk to you." Serenity's eyes went wide as she gave him a quick glance and immediately looked away. What did he want to talk about? Would he tell her he was mad at her? Or worse? The ache she'd been feeling the entire weekend returned to her heart.

"I have to run some errands for a teacher…" She tried to make an excuse and get out of the talk, hoping Kaiba would realize she was busy and back off.

"I'll just take a moment. Listen…about the other night." Serenity's heart was about to be crushed and she knew it. He'd say it'd been a mistake. Tears swelled to her eyes unwillingly and Kaiba stopped talking, noticing the tears.

"Why are you crying…?" Kaiba said nervously as he noticed Serenity's bottom lip quiver. Impulsively, he reached out towards her.

"NO! DON'T!" Serenity thwarted his hand aside, too afraid to have him touch her in her fragile state. Kaiba stared wide eyed at the girl. "I know it was a mistake okay? I'm sorry!" Serenity turned and took off before she really did break down in front of him.

Kaiba:

Kaiba stared at the girl's back as she ran away from him. His hand remained limp at his side where it'd fallen after she had slapped it away. He looked down at it and then at the empty spot Serenity had stood in seconds ago.

Feeling an unfamiliar ache in his heart, Kaiba curled his hand into a fist. Her words rang in his ears as they played on repeat in his head. A mistake? A mistake! A MISTAKE!

Sleeping with Kaiba had been a mistake? For the first time, Kaiba felt his heart break. Every waking thought Kaiba'd had over those three days and nights were about her. Her sweet smile, kind words, childishness, everything was about her.

Serenity ruined that in a heartbeat. Kaiba turned away slowly and walked off. Of course it was a mistake. A drunken mistake.

Serenity:

Serenity didn't go to school for the rest of the week. Her friends visited her, concerned, but she refused to get out of bed. Her heart was broken and every time she closed her eyes, she saw him.

"I'm so stupid…" She cursed at herself as she rolled in her bed. It was the weekend and it was her turn to clean the house. Feeling awful, Serenity got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

Her stomach started to cramp and Serenity looked at the calendar and realized that she was late for her period. "I guess Mother Nature is paying me a late visit."

She continued about her chores, stopping once in a while, feeling oddly out of breath and tired. She chalked it all up to her broken heart. Indeed, Kaiba had done a number on her.

Chores done, she took a long warm shower, ate a quick supper, and retired to bed. Her mother had threatened her to go to school tomorrow or a doctor. She opted for neither but knew it couldn't be avoided. That night, Serenity fell asleep feeling restless.

The next morning she woke up earlier than usual. She had to use the bathroom badly and after finishing her business, she noticed that her period hadn't started but the cramps were still there. She thought it odd and quickly calculated the day of her last period. It was only a week late. Deciding not to worry too much, she packed an emergency pad in her school bag and made her way downstairs for breakfast.

A disgusting smell invaded her nose as she got closer to the kitchen and walked in to find Joey chowing on bacon and eggs for breakfast.

"Ren, you're here! Mai made us breakfast before she left for work. Hurry up and dig in before it gets cold." Joey said in between bites.

Serenity looked down at the food her sister in law had made. It looked great but somehow completely unappetizing to her. Still, Serenity sat down, scrunching her nose at the food and took a bite. A horrible sense of nausea washed over her and not being able to take it, she rushed to the bathroom and keeled over the toilet bowl.

Her empty stomach heaved until nothing but a bitter taste remained in her mouth.

"Damn, Ren. You're still not feeling good? Maybe I should take you to the doctor…" Serenity sat back and shut out Joey as she took a deep breath. A pleasant scent reached her nose and she inhaled deeply and she realized that it helped to sooth her.

Once she was calm, she reached out her hand and allowed Joey to help her up before she rinsed out her mouth. Joey then guided her to her bedroom. Had she caught some kind of virus?

"Serenity, you should really go to the doctor. I'll call and make an appointment, okay?" Joey was about to walk out of her bedroom when she called him back.

"No, it's okay, I think it's just something I ate last night..." What had she had? Lunch leftover of Mai's meatloaf. But then why was she the only one feeling this way?

"You sure…?"

"Joey, you're just looking for a way to not go to class. Be a bit responsible would you? You have a wife and infant son." Joey blushed hard and scowled at Serenity as she scolded him.

"Hey, don't bring the baby or Mai into this. I'm just trying to be a responsible older brother and take care of his little sister." Joey pouted and Serenity wondered how her twenty year old brother managed to have a kid of his own.

An image of her handsome nephew laughing flashed across her mind and suddenly, Serenity's closed eyes flew open. Her nephew…a baby.  
Consciously, Serenity's hand raised to her stomach and she placed it over the lower part as her eyes remained wide…could it be?

"Serenity, you're stomach still feeling weird? I'll get you some medicine." Serenity barely heard her brother leave and come back as she considered her fleeting thoughts. The nausea, the tiredness...

When Joey returned, she asked him to go to class and with a promise to call him and let him know she was okay, Joey finally left. As soon as she heard the front door close, she opened up her laptop and on an incognito tab, she typed in pregnancy symptoms.

As she read, her heart sank further and further. All the symptoms seemed to match up with her situation until she read that the only way to be sure was to take a pregnancy test.

"Crap." Serenity immediately grabbed her wallet, phone, and keys before wrapping up warmly and heading toward the drug store. It was awkward as she entered the maternity aisle to grab what she needed. The odd looks she got from the employee at the register did not help her already nerve racked mind.

She rushed home and dropped everything on the bedroom floor before quickly going to the bathroom. Looking at the instructions on the package, she did her business and used the tests as instructed. The agonizing seconds it took as she washed her hands and waited for the test results were the longest of her life.

She took a deep breath as the lines reached the colored part of the test and she prayed for a single line to split the screen in two, indicating a negative result.

Two seconds passed and she stared at the screen. A plus sign. Serenity felt her entire world come crashing down around her as she collapsed to the floor, holding her stomach. She stared at the test that had flied out of hand and onto the bathroom floor.  
It couldn't be…she'd only had sex one time…it couldn't be.

Serenity shook her head as tears filled her eyes and she cried. She didn't know how much time passed by as she sat on the bathroom floor bawling her eyes out, still not believing.

She finally snapped out of it when her phone began buzzing in her pocket and with shaky hands, she took it out to see Joey calling.

"He-hello?" She wiped at her tears and tried to clear her voice.

"Ren, are you feeling better?" Joey asked.

"I…yeah I'm fine. Joey…" No she couldn't tell him. Even if her brother wouldn't kill her, he'd for sure kill the father of her child if he found out. And Joey would find out.

"What's wrong?" Serenity heard the concern in his voice and it broke her heart to lie to him.

"Nothing…I just wanted to thank you for helping me this morning."  
"Ren, are you crazy? You're my little sister, I'd do anything for you. Why are you thanking me?"  
"Just because. Listen, I'm about to go outside for some fresh air so I'll talk to you later okay?" Just hearing her brother say that somehow reassured her a little bit. She knew what she had to do first.

"Okay, just be careful and wrap up, it's cold outside. Love you, Ren, bye!" Serenity said bye to her brother and hung up. She wondered if she should call ahead and let Kaiba know to meet her but she realized she didn't have his number.

She tried calling Kaiba Corp but the annoying secretary refused to put her unknown number through. Serenity could feel her nerves begin to act up and irritated, she called the next person she knew would be able to help her.

"Mokuba, do you have Kaiba's number?" She tapped the pencil she had in her hand impatiently against the paper pad she would use to write his number.

"Serenity? Yeah I do…wait, but why do you need Seto's number?"

"I…"What would she say?  
"Aah, never mind. I'll text it to you okay? But don't blow up his phone or else he'll kill me." Mokuba said jokingly.

"Don't worry, I won't." Serenity hung up and waited for the text. As soon as her phone buzzed, she called the number texted to her.

Three rings later, someone picked up. "Hello?" Serenity froze as she heard the female's voice…who was she?

"Hello?" The voice asked again and Serenity made up her mind. This was no time to be jealous, she had to speak to Kaiba.

"Hello, I'm Serenity. I need to speak to Kaiba urgently."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba is busy at the moment. Can I take a message?" Serenity released a frustrated breath.

"No, please, like I said, it's urgent."

"I understand ma'am but please. He's busy at the moment. I can get him to call you at his earliest-"

"Who is it?" Serenity heard Kaiba's gruff voice in the background.

"Some girl named Serenity, sir, I told her to call back, but she's insisting." Serenity held her breath and only released it when Kaiba finally said to give the phone to him.

"Serenity?" Relief and an odd sense of peace washed over Serenity as she heard his voice.

"Kaiba…" Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried to keep her voice from shaking. The last time she'd spoken to him was at school when she'd pushed his hand away, afraid of the imminent heartbreak.

"Serenity…are you crying?" Serenity heard the familiar concern in his voice and she imagined him in front of her, reaching out a reassuring hand. A hand that she _didn't_ push away.

"I…listen I need to meet you immediately. It's important."  
"I can't today, I have too many meetings." Serenity shook her head at his excuses.

"No, don't you understand? It's important! It has to be today." Kaiba was silent on the other end for a long time and for a second, she feared he'd hung up.

"Fine. Come by my office. I'll be waiting." Before Serenity could say goodbye, Kaiba hung up. She stared at the phone in her hand for a moment before hurrying and gathering the evidence of her greatest mistake from her bathroom and dumping it outside on her way to Kaiba Corp.

She took a cab straight downtown, not caring about the fare and within half an hour, she arrived. She looked up at the tall glass structure. No sunlight reflected off it today as the gloomy sky hid the sun.

"Kaiba…" She made her way inside and approached the receptionist who gave her a nasty look as she realized this girl was responsible for Kaiba cancelling all of his afternoon appointments. Once she got the okay and went through the necessary security scans, Serenity was allowed upstairs. A worried thought crossed her mind as she thought about the metal detector she had to walk through, wondering if it could somehow harm the baby growing inside her.

She surprised herself as she thought about the baby's safety. A baby she didn't even know if shewas going to keep or not. Not allowing herself to think any further, she followed her escort to a set of elaborate looking doors after passing several cubicles and offices. Everyone stared at her as she was allowed into Kaiba's cabin.

Inside, Kaiba sat at his desk looking at his laptop screen. He looked up to meet her gaze as she walked closer to him. Kaiba motioned for them to be left alone and her escort bowed in respect and left as Serenity quickly thanked him.

"Serenity, what are you doing here? What is so important that it couldn't wait until later?" Kaiba's cool gaze remained on Serenity as her breath grew heavy. She wanted to tell him but she felt tongue-tied.  
Feeling suffocated, she started loosening her scarf and unbuttoning her jacket.

Kaiba rose a brow at her, wondering why she was stripping. Serenity peeled off her coat and tried taking deep breaths as waves of nausea suddenly engulfed her and her head started to spin. Her body felt weak and she clutched the chair in front of her, trying to steady herself.

"Serenity?" Kaiba immediately rose from his chair and walked around the desk. He looked at her, his brows furrowed as he watched Serenity' sudden pale face. "Are you alright?"

Serenity shook her head slightly, too scared to open her mouth as the bile rose to the back of her throat. The nausea and dizziness was overwhelming and her legs gave out under her and she felt herself falling.

Kaiba caught her just in time and immediately carried her over to his couch and lay her down. He looked down at her pale face and heard her breathing heavily. "Serenity, what's wrong?"

Laying down helped to calm her nerves and after several moments passed, Serenity was able to take a deep breath and open her eyes to find Kaiba standing over her, an anxious look plastered on his face.

"Kaiba…" She tried to sit up but decided against it and so she just lay back and stared up at the ceiling. Kaiba waited in silence. "I'm pregnant."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3: DECISION

Kaiba:

"What?! Are you sure?" Kaiba looked down at Serenity unbelievingly. She looked so sick and fragile, he was afraid to touch her.

"I... Yeah I took a test at home. Plus I've been feeling so sick lately... I haven't even come to school." Serenity shielded her eyes from the ceiling lights above. It was crazy to think but everything was making her feel sick all of a sudden.

Kaiba stood there silently as Serenity's words registered in his brain. Pregnant...she was pregnant... Which meant Kaiba was the dad. He shook his head as the thought scared him and he took a seat at the edge of the couch and took several deep breaths. He felt as if he might collapse along with Serenity but that wasn't an option.

After thinking it through, Kaiba slowly rose to his feet. Serenity felt him move at the foot of the couch and rose her head just enough to meet his eyes. They seemed as lost as she was.

"Come on, can you get up?" Kaiba asked, his usual stern tone much more sensitive.

"Yeah, I just need to move slowly. Where are we going?" Serenity planted her feet on the floor and was thankful that the world around her did not spin as she put on her jacket.

"We need to go to a doctor to make sure. We can figure out what to do from there." Kaiba walked over to the cupboard he kept in his office and pulled out his coat. He caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror and he was surprised to see his worried expression.

He turned around to see Serenity already buckled up and ready to go. He walked over to her and looked her in the eye. The news was still fresh in his mind and without a doctor's report he wouldn't believe it, not because he didn't trust Serenity, but because home tests simply weren't reliable.

"Let me hold your hand." Kaiba knew it was silly but he needed to feel her presence at the moment. Serenity nodded silently as an odd expression crossed her face.

She looked up at Kaiba's face as he led them out of his office, ignoring the weird looks he got from his office staff as he hauled her along, hand in hand.

There was no time to feel awkward and as Kaiba helped Serenity into the car, he continued to hold her hand.

"We're going to my personal physician. I just made the call so she knows I'm on my way there with you." Kaiba put his phone back in his pocket and noticed that the hand in his hand was warm and kind of sweaty. "You're nervous. Don't be. We'll figure this out."

Serenity looked at their clasped hands and considered his words. When she'd broke the news to him, part of her had been afraid that he wouldn't believe her and that he'd cast her aside. She was happy though, to have his support.

"Kaiba... Thank you." Kaiba said nothing and they sat in silence until they got to the hospital.

"I'm here to see Dr. Ryun. She's expecting me." Kaiba presented his I.D., momentarily dropping Serenity's hand as he was told to sign in and she missed the warmth and feel of it.

The two of them got odd looks from patients, guests, and hospital staff alike as they traveled to the doctor's office. Kaiba looked over and saw her nervous face as she twisted one end of her green scarf between her fingers and like before, he took her hand to control his and her nerves.

They waited five minutes in the waiting room before being invited in.

"Welcome Mr. Kaiba, what brings you here today? Oh and I see you brought a friend. Hello, I'm Dr. Ryun." She held out her hand and Serenity shook it quickly as they were signaled to sit.

"I... Serenity tell her why we are here." Kaiba said looking over at the brunette. He couldn't say it. He hated to admit it but saying it out loud made it that much more real and the thought terrified him.

Serenity gave him a scared look but then looked at Dr. Ryun and swallowed her anxiety. "I-I'm pregnant." Seeing the doctor's face, they knew she wasn't expecting that. She gazed between the two young adults before speaking.

"Are you certain? Have you had any symptoms? Missed periods? Did you take any tests?" The doctor asked politely.

"Yes. I've been feeling tired and dizzy. I threw up a few times and noticed that my period was over a week late so I bought a test from the drugstore and it came out positive." Serenity felt awkward saying it all in front of Kaiba but it had to be said.

"Okay, we are going to run a quick urine test here at the lab. Just to be sure, we'll also take a blood test but those results won't be in until tomorrow. You are free to return tomorrow or I can just call you to give you the results, how does that sound?" Dr. Ryun smiled sympathetically at them and waited for an answer.

Serenity and Kaiba nodded and Serenity was ushered away by a nurse to complete the tests. Kaiba remained seated as he watched her go. He could tell by the way she walked that Serenity was scared.

"Mr. Kaiba, are you alright?" Dr. Ryun looked at her usual patient silently. The look on his face was new.

"Is my face that transparent?" Kaiba would be in trouble if just about anyone could read his face.

"It's alright to feel nervous. It's human nature. But don't jump the gun, I know she said she felt all of things and that the test she took at home came back positive but still. Wait until the lab reports okay?" Kaiba looked at the kind doctor in her mid thirties and smiled slightly.

Serenity:

Ten minutes later, Serenity was escorted back to the doctor's office. "Alright then, all there's left to do is wait. In the meantime, you said you were feeling dizziness and nausea, right?" When Serenity nodded, the doctor continued. "I'll prescribe some medication for you. Take these pills twice a day after lunch and dinner. They should help relax your stomach and give you an extra boost. Okay?" She handed over the prescription to Serenity and smiled.

"Listen, I know you're nervous but as I was explaining to Mr. Kaiba, don't jump the gun. Wait until the test results tomorrow okay?" Serenity looked at the doctor and smiled weakly.

"Alright. Thank you."

"Let's go. We will come back tomorrow for the test results doctor." Kaiba thanked the doctor and took Serenity's hand in his before walking out.

"Where to now?" Serenity asked as they waited outside the hospital for the car to roll up.

"I'll drop you home. There's nothing else we can do until we get the test results tomorrow." Serenity looked down at her feet as they continued to wait in silence. There was so much she wanted to say to Kaiba but all of it would have to wait until tomorrow. Besides, she was sure she wouldn't be able to utter a sound if she tried.

True to his words, Kaiba dropped her home and even stepped out of the car to escort her to her front door. "I'll have Roland pick up your medicine and deliver it to your house, okay?"

"That's okay. The drugstore is just a few blocks from here so I can get it myself." Serenity smiled at him as she unlocked her front door.

"No, even if we aren't sure about... this, I know you're sick and I want you to rest." Kaiba averted the p word and told Serenity to rest.

"But-"

"No. Just go inside." Serenity pouted but said nothing more as she entered the warmth of her home. They stood there staring at each other awkwardly.

"Alright then, take care. I'll call you tomorrow before we go to the hospital okay?" Serenity nodded and with one last look into her brown eyes, Kaiba turned to leave.

"Kaiba! Wait! About today...thank you." Serenity felt the tears well up in her eyes, hoping that this time he'd answer.

"I'm doing what I'm supposed to do Serenity. Take care of yourself." Serenity watched Kaiba disappear into his car and it took off, leaving her alone.

She wiped at the stray tears that had fallen and made her way to her room. She changed quickly and climbed into her bed. The day's exhaustion caught up with her racing mind quickly and before she knew it, she was out cold.

The next morning was horrible as Serenity awoke to a serious need to pee. Not even ten minutes passed after that when a wave of nausea engulfed her yet again and she puked her guts out. She was glad no one was home to hear her emptying her stomach and as she dropped down on her living room couch, she knew the doctor was wrong to tell her to not jump the gun. She was pregnant, somehow, she could just feel it.

She thought back to what Mai had said about her pregnancy just a year ago. She'd felt sick, her breasts were sore, and she constantly had cravings for chocolate covered pretzels. She remembered the many mood swings she and Joey had to suffer through and the awful cooking experiments that they had to eat.

"God, I hope I'm nothing like that." She laughed to herself. She spent the day browsing the internet until Kaiba finally called.

She got up to get ready and half an hour later, his limo pulled up to her front door.

"How are you feeling?" Serenity ignored Kaiba's question as she looked at him. He looked like a mess. His clothes were fine, as posh as always, but his eyes. There were dark circles under them.

"Kaiba... Did you sleep at all last night?"

"No... I was up finishing some work. But don't worry about that, get inside. We're going to be late." Kaiba didn't hold Serenity's hand like yesterday and part of her felt upset about it.

"Kaiba... What's happens if I am, you know, pregnant?" It was a question that had been bothering her that entire morning.

"I'm not sure. I mean... Are we going to keep it or not?" Serenity hadn't thought about that and now that Kaiba mentioned it, she realized that they did have a choice.

"I..." Could she bring herself to do it? She didn't answer and Kaiba didn't push it. When they arrived at the hospital, Kaiba signed them in and waited outside the doctor's office before finally being called in.

"Hello. How are you feeling today, Serenity?" Dr. Ryun asked as she motioned for them to take a seat. A nurse came in and handed her a file before leaving.

"I'm alright. The medicine you gave me helped a little." At least the dizziness was gone. The nausea not so much.

"Okay, that's good. Let's take a look at your report." Serenity gave Kaiba a worried look and he placed his hand over here, trying to calm her. Still, she held her breath.

After several agonizing minutes, Dr. Ryun looked up from her file and straight at them. "Congratulations. You're a little over a week along." Serenity felt herself tear up as she looked over at Kaiba who sat there silently.

"You're urine test came out negative but the blood report was positive." Dr. Ryun continued.

"Kaiba..." Serenity looked at the boy sitting next to her. It was as if he were frozen, not speaking, not moving. Serenity was even sure that he was not breathing.

Kaiba:

"Yes... I heard. So Serenity, what would you like to do?" Kaiba finally looked over at Serenity as both women stared at him.

"I..." Serenity shook her, her face betraying her anxiety. "I need to use your bathroom. Please." She jerked slightly as the bile almost came up past her throat and she opted to take deep breaths as the doctor quickly pointed the direction as a nurse helped her out.

Kaiba watched her leave and then looked at the doctor, a worried expression on his face.

"Mr. Kaiba, being your personal physician, may I say something?" Kaiba nodded and she smiled kindly as she continued. "I've known you and your brother since you were children. If there's one thing I know about you it's that you love children and you are highly capable, seeing as how you take care of your brother. But you are also young and with your occupation, it will be hard to take care of a multibillion dollar company, a teenage brother, and a baby. Having a baby now may harm the nature of your business as well as your image."

"What are you trying to say, Dr. Ryun?" Kaiba gazed at the doctor who met Kaiba's eyes with as much diligence.

"I'm saying that no matter the decision you make, you must understand that it can change your life completely. If you decide to abort, it may or may not affect you mentally due to the past you and your brother share as orphans. But if you decide to keep the baby, understand that your responsibilities don't end with the birth of the baby. Financially, you are more than ready but as adults, you both have much to learn. It won't be easy but it isn't impossible. The decision lies with both of you. Whatever the decision will be, are you ready to sacrifice what comes as a consequence?" Kaiba remained silent as he considered the doctor's words. This is what he'd been up thinking about the entire time last night. She was right, they had to make a decision and quickly.

"I apologize if I spoke too much, but as your personal doctor, it is still my responsibility to look out for my patients well being. Also as a family friend." She got out of her chair and walked around her desk to Kaiba and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She squeezed and Kaiba looked up at her.

"I-"

"Kaiba, I've made a decision." Dr. Ryun stepped back from Kaiba as he stood up to see Serenity standing in the doorway. "I'm getting an abortion."


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: PERMISSION

Kaiba:

It had been a week since Serenity had abruptly stated she'd get an abortion to Kaiba and the doctor before running out of the hospital. What was worse was that Kaiba didn't go after her. It wasn't because he didn't want to. He just didn't know how…

The week had been hectic and Kaiba was immersed in work but nothing helped to distract him from his thoughts. Several times he'd thought about going to meet Serenity, he'd even gathered his things ready to leave his office but something kept stopping him. How would he face her?

Kaiba finished sending his email and looked at his watch. Six o'clock. It was still a little early, at least for him, but everything was done for the day. Now what?

He wandered to the glass wall, looking over at the city of Domino below. Kaiba watched as the sun started to dip behind the buildings on the horizon, the night slowly beginning to creep in. His thoughts wandered back to Serenity, wondering what she might be doing.

Kaiba had only seen her once and that too from a distance since the incident in the hospital. She'd been walking with Mokuba to one of his classes, smiling happily at a joke he was saying before disappearing inside. He remembered wanting to run to her and ask her how she was doing but that nagging feeling stopped him.

Kaiba realized that he'd closed his eyes and started daydreaming about her yet again. He cursed at himself as he looked away from the darkening city outside and again at the clock. 6:07 PM

"Screw it. I'm going." It took Kaiba longer than he expected to get to Serenity's house. Backed up by growing traffic from the rush hour, Kaiba silently clenched and unclenched his jaw, drumming his fingers as he waited nervously. Once he finally arrived an hour later, it was dark. He was about to get out of the car when he noticed the front door open and watched as Serenity yelled something to someone inside and shut the door behind her.

She did not notice his car sitting idly on the street as she turned and started walking in the opposite direction. She was wearing a plain black jacket to keep the cool air out and had on jeans and a pair of converse sneakers.

"Sir?" The driver said, questioning Kaiba about what he should do.

"Stay here. I'll be back." Kaiba pulled his coat over himself and quickly got out of the car. He started to follow Serenity, keeping to the shadows for cover and walking as quietly as he could.

A soft sound floated to his ears and he realized Serenity had started to hum something. The tone was sweet and Kaiba found himself beginning to smile as he followed Serenity a few more blocks. He watched from behind a tree as she entered a local grocery store and waited until she finally came out. Whatever she bought was hidden inside a black plastic bag.

Expecting her to begin walking back home, Kaiba was surprised when she continued walking in the opposite direction.

Kaiba waited until she was a little way off until he followed in step behind her. Serenity arrived at a park and peered inside to make sure it wasn't too dark or creepy. She entered it, passing the trees, ponds and playground, working her way up a hill top until she finally reached its top.

Kaiba had barely been to this side of town so he was stunned to see the breathtaking view of the city's blinking lights beginning not too far away.

He watched Serenity place the bag down next to her and unzip her jacket. She looked out at the city in silence until Kaiba wondered if he should say something.

"What should I do?" Serenity said to wind, grabbing Kaiba's attention. "Tomorrow is the big day…"

Kaiba waited for Serenity to say more, confused at her words. What was tomorrow?

"I'll miss you little one." Serenity brought her hand up to rest on her abdomen, softly petting her belly. Kaiba's eyes went wide as he realized what Serenity was talking about.

She really was going through with the abortion.

A lot of things went through Kaiba's mind. A part of him tried to convince him that it was for the best and that he should walk away but another part screamed no.

For several seconds, Kaiba, too preoccupied in his own thoughts, didn't notice that Serenity had quietly started to cry.

He stood frozen, watching as the poor girl broke down. His arms ached to go hold her but he didn't do it, fearing it would make the situation worse.

"Kaiba…" Serenity said the name absently as she looked at something in the distance and Kaiba followed her gaze to see the vague outline of Kaiba Tower looming over other buildings in the heart of the city. "I wish you were here."

It was as if his arms and legs worked of their own will, but suddenly Kaiba found himself hugging a struggling Serenity close to his chest.

"Ssshh." Serenity went still at the sound. "It's me." Both of them remained frozen for a minute, just taking in the shock of each other's presence.

"K-Kaiba?" Serenity finally managed to say.

"Yes?" Kaiba, blushing furiously, tried to keep his voice calm as he gently pushed Serenity back enough to be able to look down at her face. He noticed the fresh tear streaks on her face and wondered if it was his fault for everything. It probably was. Everything was always somehow his fault.

"What are you doing here?"

"Following you."

"You followed me?" Kaiba realized how stupid it must've seemed after hearing her amazed tone, embarrassing himself even more. He let go of her shoulders and took a step back, looking out at the view so he wouldn't have to meet her eyes.

"Well I was coming to meet you." Kaiba chose his words carefully. "I thought we should talk…you know…about everything." He chanced a look at her and noticed Serenity still holding her belly.

"You mean about the baby?" She asked, looking at him. Her honey brown eyes were a deep contrast to his piercing blue eyes and an absurd thought went through his mind as he wondered what the child's eye color would be. He quickly ran the thought out his brain, nodding in response to Serenity's question.

The entire way here, he'd thought over what he should say to her but like every other time, he was speechless.  
"You don't need to worry Kaiba. I have an appointment tomorrow at the doctors." Serenity said, interrupting his racing thoughts. Without another word, she turned and picked up the black plastic bag and started to walk away.

In that moment, Kaiba closed his eyes. Everything he'd done in his life, he'd done using his brain. Even now his brain was telling him to allow her to walk away. But for the first time, his heart was fighting it. He couldn't just let her walk away like that.

"Wait!" He said and turned to see Serenity stop just a few feet away. "Wait!" He said again and ran to her.  
"Kaiba…" Serenity said, not wanting to hear it. The week had been hard on her, having to do everything herself AND hide it from her family. Still, she'd finally gotten the courage to pick up the phone and speak with a doctor to help her with her 'situation'. She'd had a week to prepare herself mentally and today she'd walked here to rid her mind of any other worries or regrets before she finally went through with her decision. Not once did she expect to run into Kaiba, at least not like this.

"No, listen. You can't do it." Serenity blinked once, wandering if she heard right.

"What?"

"You can't do it." Kaiba looked at Serenity determinedly.

"You mean…" Serenity looked from him to her still flat belly and then at him again, questioningly.

"This baby…it's both of ours. You can't decide yourself." Kaiba couldn't believe what he was saying but the words seemed right as they came out of his mouth. They seemed to open up a world of words he'd been holding back, making the flow easier.

He grew more confident as he continued to speak. "Who said you had the right to abort this child without my permission?"

"Kaiba, what are you saying?" Serenity's head was hurting. Of course she'd fantasized about Kaiba stopping her from doing such a thing, holding her and telling her he loved her and that together, they'd make the best parents to their little one. Now that he was telling her that, she seemed to have trouble accepting it. Rather than relieved, she felt even more confused.

"I'm saying don't abort the baby."  
"Then what about your future?" The doctor's words she'd overheard rang in her mind as she replayed them over and over again. His future. His company. His brother. So many responsibilities, at such a young age. She didn't want to burden him further.

"I will take care of myself and I will also take care of this baby." Kaiba said chancing a look at her stomach before meeting her teary eyes.

"Kaiba-"

"No. No more crying." Kaiba touched Serenity's cheeks softly, subtly wiping away the tears still spilling over from her eyes.

"You don't understand." Serenity said, trying hard not to lean into his touch and shook her head.

"I don't need to. All I know is that what you're thinking of doing is wrong." Serenity remained silent, clutching the bag in her hand as tightly as she could as she looked down at the cold ground.

Kaiba's gaze softened at her timid stance and slowly, he raised her chin so that once again, he could look into her warm eyes. A rare smiled graced his face as he spoke. "I know it's going to get tough, but I need you to trust me, okay?"

Serenity didn't know what to say. Her mind was reeling with thoughts that had been driving her nuts for the past week. Should she keep the baby? Could she keep the baby? What if she harmed it? What if she died giving birth to it? What would others say? Would she be a good mom?

"You trust me right?" Kaiba felt a sinking feeling deep inside of him as her silence continued. He wondered how anything would be possible if the person he needed to protect the most couldn't even trust him.

"Yes." It was barely above a whisper but Kaiba had heard it and for now, that was all he needed.

"I'll take you home." Kaiba started walking first, stopping only to hear if Serenity had started to follow him. When he heard her feet finally begin to shuffle against the dirt, he was sure she was following. He walked slowly deliberately, so she could walk with him. They didn't hold hands or talk but even this was okay. He had no idea how things were going to work out but at least that nagging feeling had gone away and he was grateful for that.

When they finally arrived in front of her house, they stood in awkward silence, looking at anything but each other.

"Umm…thanks for walking me home." Serenity said finally.

"You're…welcome. Listen…we'll figure everything out step by step. Just give me some time to sort things out on my end. I'll call you, okay…?" Kaiba finally looked at Serenity and something inside him moved, stirring feelings he was scared to admit he might have.

"Okay…" She said and smiled at him. Trying to keep his conflicted feelings from surfacing on his face, Kaiba nodded one last time before quickly making his way to his waiting car and disappearing inside. He didn't leave immediately though, waiting for Serenity to enter her house.

"Where to sir?" The driver asked when Serenity was finally inside, safe and sound.

"Home." Kaiba sighed, happy that he could finally breathe. The entire situation with Serenity, no matter how necessary, was also very stressful. Kaiba could not wait to get home and pass out in his bed.


End file.
